Yesterday after church I was invited to a home full of wonderful people. After partaking of lunch, consisting of rice, posho (white cornmeal), beans, and pork, I had to wash my hands. Reason: I used my right hand to eat and the food was sticking to my fingers. A young man walked around with a small basin and a jerry can of water, so that we could all wash our hands. I threw my hand into the basin's dirty water to get my hand wet, then took the bar of soap that was sitting in dirty water - to scrub seriously. At this point I told my friend that he could begin pouring clean water over my hand. He slowly poured water into my cupped hands and I let it swish around. Then scrubbed more and let the water fall into the basin. Four times he poured a little water into my hand until the soap and food residues had disappeared. I was excited when he said that I wash my hands like a true African.
Why?
Because I'm still not very Ugandan when it comes to bucket bathing. My village hosts always mock me when I ask for a cup. They don't understand that my tiny hands can't hold water, swish it on to my body and wash my hair all at the same time. I need a cup to hold water so that I can use my other hand to wash and rinse my body. Who knew a cup would make so many people laugh?!
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| A bathing house |
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| My cup floating in the bath water |
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